The used luxury sedan market has never been a better hunting ground for performance bargains. Depreciation is a relentless force, and it works in your favor when the car in question started life as a six-figure rocket ship. Today’s luxury sedans are genuinely extraordinary machines — semi-autonomous driving, active suspension systems that read the road ahead, driver fatigue detection, and cabins that can massage, heat, and cool you in near-silence. Some models even synchronize ambient lighting and display animations to deliver a personal moment of zen. The powertrains are equally impressive: hybrid systems that somehow deliver more power, sharper acceleration, and better fuel economy all at once.
But we’re not here to preach efficiency — we’re here to celebrate speed. The following models are used luxury sedans from the last decade and are generally at least one generation behind today’s suave barges. They deliver impressive acceleration and genuine comfort; when they depreciate far enough, they’ll be the answer to all of your problems, providing a cushion of savings for the inevitable repair bills that will arise, of course.
Chevrolet SS
0-60 MPH: 4.5 Seconds
2016 Chevrolet SS, front 3/4 Chevrolet
The Chevy SS took over where the Pontiac G8 left off, following the demise of that iconic American brand. Based on the Australian Holden Commodore sedan and assembled on that side of the world, the Super Sport came fitted with the C6 Chevrolet Corvette’s LS3 engine and was rear-wheel drive — with an optional manual transmission. It also offered a genuine slice of luxury alongside the raw muscle, with a feature list that included adaptive suspension, dual-zone climate control, and active lane monitoring. It’s a muscle car first and foremost, with just enough refinement to serve as a daily driver, but you’ll be visiting the gas station often: the EPA rates it 17 MPG combined.
Chevrolet SS
Engine format
6.2-liter, NA V8
Power
415 hp
Torque
415 lb-ft
Transmission
6-speed automatic, 6-speed manual
Drivetrain
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Aston Martin Rapide S
0-60 MPH: 4.5 Seconds
2015 Aston Martin Rapide S, front 3/4Aston Martin
Before Aston Martin created the DBX SUV, it had already produced various four-door models — among them the Lagonda, and later the Rapide. The Rapide name returned for the 2010 four-door sedan of the same name, one of the most desirable Aston Martin four-doors since the Lagonda Taraf, which the US sadly did not receive. Not that we’d have been able to afford it. Back to the Rapide: its styling is reminiscent of the DB9, and the concept was to comfortably accommodate four adults while delivering supercar-like performance courtesy of the iconic V12. In 2014, the ‘S’ variant added more power and was able to thrust the British super-exec to 60 mph in the time above.
Aston Martin Rapide S
Engine format
5.9-liter, NA V12
Power
550 hp
Torque
547 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Bentley Flying Spur S
0-60 MPH: 4.3 Seconds
2017 Bentley Flying Spur W12 SBentley
This isn’t the Bentley Continental, but it shares a familiar face along with all the luxury and relentless speed — now in a four-door format. Initially called the Continental Flying Spur, the second-gen Spur returned without the Continental prefix and introduced a new, lower-cost V8 to the lineup alongside the carry-over W12, plus an eight-speed transmission replacing the previous six-speed unit; still automatic-only. Bentley’s 5,500-pound, all-wheel-drive ultra-luxury sedan can reach 190 mph and return 17 MPG on the highway, provided you can resist the W12.
Bentley Flying Spur S
Engine format
6.0-liter, twin-turbo W12
Power
626 hp
Torque
605 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Chrysler 300C SRT-8
0-60 MPH: 4.3 Seconds
2023 Chrysler 300C, front 3/4Chrysler
Chrysler describes the 300C as offering ‘performance and luxury,’ which is a fair summary of the final run of this American barge. Sold for 2023 in limited quantities (2,000 examples), it heralded the return of the 392 to the range. The 6.4-liter Hemi is the mightiest tool in Mopar’s box outside of the Hellcat engine, and here it drives the rear wheels of the 4,500-pound sedan. The package includes 20-inch wheels, four-piston Brembo brakes with red calipers, an active exhaust system, an active damping suspension, and a limited-slip differential — enough to silence anyone who thought the 300C was merely a cosmetic special edition.
Chrysler 300C SRT-8
Engine format
6.4-liter, NA V8
Power
485 hp
Torque
475 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
0-60 MPH: 4.2 Seconds
Side shot of the Maserati Quattroporte TrofeoMaserati
Every Quattroporte from this, the final generation (2014–2024), carried a certain significance — it marked the end of an era of fast, characterful Italian sedans wearing a historic nameplate. They weren’t always the sharpest tools on the shelf and were known for their faults, but the Maserati Quattroporte remains a guilty pleasure, beautifully crafted, and even more appealing in Trofeo trim. This is the most powerful version of the Quattroporte from this generation — a track-focused model that shared its F154 engine with the GTS only; the rest of the lineup used a V6. The F154 is a Maserati-Ferrari unit that also appeared in the Ferrari 488, SF90 Stradale, California, and other Maserati models.
Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo
Engine format
3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8
Power
572 hp
Torque
538 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Cadillac CTS-V
0-60 MPH: 3.7 Seconds
Front 3/4 shot of 2018 Cadillac CTS-V Glacier Metallic Edition parked on trackCadillac
There were various fast Cadillac V sedans over the years, including the STS-V and CTS-V, before the CT5-V and CT4-V arrived. This one is from the third and final generation of the CTS before the CT5 took over, spanning the 2014–2019 model years. The V series is built around a focused set of skills, and the execution is straightforward but effective. Powering the rear wheels is the LT4 engine — for those who speak in engine codes, this is the supercharged V8 from the C7 Chevy Corvette Z06, slightly detuned, though you’d be hard-pressed to notice. The CTS-V carries a 1,745-pound weight penalty over the C7 Z06, tipping the scales at 5,270 pounds, but the appeal of such a raw performance sedan is undeniable.
Cadillac CTS-V
Engine format
6.2-liter, supercharged V8
Power
640 hp
Torque
630 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
BMW M760i xDrive
0-60 MPH: 3.5 Seconds
2017 BMW M760i xDrive, 3/4 frontBMW
The last of the BMW V12s, the M-branded BMW M760i xDrive was a fully loaded, luxurious, 5,000-pound flagship with an engine boasting twice the displacement and cylinder count of a Kia Stinger. It hits 60 mph faster than its size has any right to suggest, aided by all-wheel drive and prodigious torque. Produced from 2017 to 2022, the sixth-gen 7 Series was indeed the last to feature a twelve-cylinder engine; its successor uses a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. Front occupants get an expansive screen setup and massaging heated seats, while rear passengers can enjoy a drop-down screen for entertainment on the move.
BMW M760i xDrive
Engine format
6.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V12
Power
610 hp
Torque
590 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye
0-60 MPH: 3.5 Seconds
Dodge
This is another wildcard entry since the Dodge Charger isn’t strictly a luxury car, but it does offer a solid list of comfort and convenience features combined with an interior that received a meaningful upgrade in 2015 over the older, more plastic-heavy cabin of the 2005 Charger. It may not match a Mercedes-Benz for refinement, but the Hellcat version will likely beat any Benz off the line on a dry road. At the top of the Charger lineup sat the SRT Hellcat, above the SRT 392. In stock form the engine produced 707 horsepower, but the Redeye pushed that to 797 — just 11 shy of the 2018 Demon. The Charger ended production after 2023, and the nameplate has since been revived as the centerpiece of the brand’s newest part-ICE, part-EV muscle coupe/sedan.
Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye
Engine format
6.2-liter, supercharged V8
Power
797 hp
Torque
707 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Audi S8 Plus
0-60 MPH: 3.3 Seconds
efw-42016 Audi S8 Plus, front 3/4Audi
An Audi A8 is luxurious by default, thanks to its premium interior, extensive feature list, and strong power outputs across most of the range. The A8 debuted in 1997 as a full-size flagship sedan, distinguished by its relatively lightweight construction, Quattro all-wheel drive, and a choice of V6, V8, and even W12 engines. Its third generation ran from 2010 to 2017, when it was succeeded by the current-generation A8. A 6.3-liter W12 remained available for the third-gen, but the S8 was the true performance flagship with the quickest 0–60 mph time. It used a more compact twin-turbo V8, and the S8 Plus extracted even more power from that unit.
Audi S8 Plus
Engine format
4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8
Power
597 hp
Torque
553 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Porsche Panamera Turbo S
0-60 MPH: 2.9 Seconds
A front 3/4 action shot of a 2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo SPorsche
It would have to be Porsche at the top of the sedan speed rankings, and the Panamera is the reason why. The model has now spanned three generations, with the shooting-brake body style dropped along the way. Today the Panamera is a focused performance sedan that includes an exceptionally potent plug-in hybrid variant pairing a V8 with electric motors, as well as a V6 option. Porsche’s second-generation Panamera arrived in 2016, and the Turbo S was among the most powerful variants — surpassed only by the Turbo S E-Hybrid in total output, yet equally quick to 60 mph. New, one of these commanded around $180,000; today, average market values have fallen dramatically. That’s remarkable performance at an even more remarkable discount.
Porsche Panamera Turbo S
Engine format
4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8
Power
621 hp
Torque
605 lb-ft
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Front-engine, all-wheel drive
Sources: OEMs, Hagerty, J.D. Power, Edmunds, Hemmings, Classic.com
